Gingerbread is about as central to the holiday season as snow and presents — but unlike snow and presents, it's not quite universally liked. I, for one, have only ever tasted one gingerbread cookie that I wanted a second bite of, and I gave up on trying to take bites out of my gingerbread house long, long ago. Given the fact that gingerbread is really only known for cut-out cookies and decorated houses, though, I had to wonder if I was missing something where the flavor is concerned simply because there aren't that many opportunities to try it. I did a little research and found these 19 gingerbread dessert recipes to try if you're sick of gingerbread houses. They've certainly made me forget.

It's rare for me to admit that I'm wrong (so don't blink or you might miss it) — but I may actually have been wrong about gingerbread. Now that I know that all of these recipes exist, I have an entirely new outlook on the flavor that I'd written off entirely so long ago. If you've similarly rejected gingerbread previously, join me in getting in the kitchen to experiment with a few of these dishes this holiday season. With so many chefs and bloggers designing recipes around it, I guess it can't be all bad. It might actually be really good.

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Pancakes

Get an early-morning jump on holiday revelry by whipping up a batch of these pancakes from Cookie and Kate. The recipe is a bit more complicated than adding milk or water to a boxed mix, but it looks like it should be well worth your while.

Gingerbread Shake

No, your eyes don't deceive you. Green Kitchen Stories has, indeed, come up with a gingerbread shake that incorporates the healthiest spices of the season into a beverage that should take you no more than a few minutes to make.

Baked Gingerbread Custard Waffle French Toast

There are a lot of delicious-sounding words in the title of this recipe from Half Baked Harvest, so let me break it down for you. The waffles are flavored with molasses, but before you bake them, you pour an eggy custard on top so it works its way into all the nooks and crannies. Add some powdered sugar, whipped cream, and maple syrup and you've got yourself an eggnog-y, gingerbread-y breakfast dream.

Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Breakfast Bake

This breakfast dish — which the recipe says will yield six "very hearty" portions and can be made overnight — would be perfect for holiday potluck brunches or to serve to any guests you might be hosting in your home this season. Check out Averie Cooks for the details.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Snack Bars

Once again, Oh She Glows does a great service to vegans everywhere with these Pumpkin and Gingerbread Snack Bars. These treats — made with pumpkin purée, molasses, coconut sugar, vanilla, rolled oats, cinnamon, ground ginger, dried cranberries, and a cashew butter maple glaze — look like they would be equally perfect for a healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Eggnog Gingerbread Kugel

The Hanukkah-revelers out there will probably recognize kugel as the sweet noodle casserole that's often enjoyed at Jewish celebrations. Tori Avey has devised what is quite possibly the ultimate December dish — no mater what your religious tradition — by adding gingerbread flavors directly into the kugel, then topping it with gingersnap crumbs.

Gingerbread Spiced Marshmallows

If you've never made marshmallows from scratch, now seems like the perfect time to start — especially if it means you get to try them with this chocolate gingerbread dip. Joy The Baker uses crushed gingersnap cookies to flavor these pillowy treats.

Gingerbread Cookie Butter

Perfect for gifting or spreading on pretty much anything, this gingerbread cookie butter from The Healthy Foodie takes speculoos — which is already delicious — and makes it fit for the holiday season. Plus, you can make the whole recipe in a blender!

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

My only knowledge of trifles comes from British competitive baking shows, but I think I could make a go of a layered dessert like this for the Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle from Brown Eyed Baker. It's made of gingerbread pieces, pumpkin filling, and a dose of freshly whipped cream and would look beautiful on a holiday table.

Gingerbread Cake With Caramel Cream Cheese Buttercream

Made extra festive by the white lights and cut-out cookies that Half Baked Harvest used to decorate it, this gingerbread cake sounds all kinds of promising for this holiday season. Caramel cream cheese buttercream just takes it to an entirely new level.

Gingerbread Surprise Beignets With Spiced Mocha Hot Chocolate

These are not your typical New Orleans beignets, but don't let that discourage you from checking out all the details over at Half Baked Harvest. If the pictures alone aren't enough to get you in the kitchen baking, then perhaps the mere mention of the Nutella filling or a spiced mocha hot chocolate will do the trick.

Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know the headline of this article promises no ginger cookies, but I had to make an exception for this recipe from The Kitchn, because the idea of a chocolate chip cookie fused with gingerbread is brand new to me.

Gingerbread Cookie Dough Peanut Butter

I'll immediately jump on board with anything that bills itself as safe-to-eat cookie dough, and this is no exception. I'm fully prepared to eat an entire jar of this gingerbread cookie dough peanut butter from Averie Cooks with a spoon — or my hands, if necessary.

Gingerbread Latte With Salted Caramel Sugar

I don't want to be the one responsible for putting your favorite coffee shops out of business, but you may never want to purchase a seasonal beverage again once you try your hand at this recipe from Half Baked Harvest. Making the gingerbread cookies is optional, but they sure do make the drinks look extra pretty, right?